Testing anchor point..

[john87]

Hi all,

Just interested, having installed your rope, how do you all test the strength of you chosed anchor point [say a crotch] before climbing the tree??

 

Thanks all

 

john..

[Mesterh]

If you think that you need to test it then you need to choose a different anchor point imo.

 

I've never tested an anchor and I don't how you would test it to meet some kind of standard tbh. 

 

Srt chaps may have a different point of view so maybe they can advise.

 

 

 

 

[gand]

All I do is sit back and put your weight in it, with experience you can tell if it's good. As Mesterh said if you think it's not right, just change it.

[Retired Climber]

8 hours ago, Mesterh said:

If you think that you need to test it then you need to choose a different anchor point imo.

 

I've never tested an anchor and I don't how you would test it to meet some kind of standard tbh. 

 

Srt chaps may have a different point of view so maybe they can advise.

 

 

 

 

Agree completely. Experience will tell you which anchor point to choose but if you are looking at a potential point and having doubts, change it, or double up. 

Species is very important, don't choose the same size anchor on willow, as you do on oak. 

 

[Chipperclown]

Testing an anchor should occur at every change over, simple as that. Its not just the anchor you are testing its also that you have clipped into the gear correctly etc. Everyone makes mistakes.

 

Also the test should occur whilst you are clipped in to the old anchor point. Sadly people get slack, it takes a second, this second could save your life etc.

 

 

 

 

[carlos]

we test anchors by grabing your mate and both hanging off the rope, we mainly climb srt so this is to test the soundness of the anchor but also to ensure the rope isnt over any small branches that one cant see, and generally seat the rope in the fork

[Dan Maynard]

I think there's an underlying problem that proof loading to prove the anchor won't fail doesn't work on branches, because there are elements of history and time as well as load in the failure - as fibres stretch and cracks gradually grow. Therefore you can't be certain that for example swinging two people on the rope and it not failing hasn't just caused a load of crack growth and made the anchor worse.

 

The only thing you can do is be sure by inspection and if you're not then anchor lower down to a point where you are. Rope round the stem not round a side branch is a good starting point usually.

 

I do agree you've got to lean back and check before using an anchor but this is really a double check that everything is configured correctly in my opinion, eg ropes correctly routed, biners closed, hitched to correct points on harness etc. "Check, double check" as was drilled into me when learning.

 

 

[john87]

2 minutes ago, Dan Maynard said:

I think there's an underlying problem that proof loading to prove the anchor won't fail doesn't work on branches, because there are elements of history and time as well as load in the failure - as fibres stretch and cracks gradually grow. Therefore you can't be certain that for example swinging two people on the rope and it not failing hasn't just caused a load of crack growth and made the anchor worse.

 

The only thing you can do is be sure by inspection and if you're not then anchor lower down to a point where you are. Rope round the stem not round a side branch is a good starting point usually.

 

I do agree you've got to lean back and check before using an anchor but this is really a double check that everything is configured correctly in my opinion, eg ropes correctly routed, biners closed, hitched to correct points on harness etc. "Check, double check" as was drilled into me when learning.

 

 

Yes, what you say about branches is absolutely correct. Last week i was cutting off a branch in a tree with a hinge cut. I cut it and it started to go and then stopped. I could se that it was still moveing VERY slowly. I thought i would sit and watch and see what happened. Slowly slowly the thing creapt down, the end of a branch maybe 16 foot long moving about 2 inches a minute. In the end i got bored and sawed some more, but it does show that fibres stretch and creep as you say..

[devon TWiG]

Main thing is that the branch is of sufficient girth and the rope goes over tight to union..NOT  out along branch and the branch is ascending not sloping downwards , species and fork configuration also need to be factored in , but it is impossible to quantify in technical terms .

[john87]

Anchor i am thinking of is shown as best i can in the photo below.

The main stem is about 10 inch diameter then a vertical spar about 5 inch diameter goes up matby ten feet then splits into two, one about 4 inch diameter and the other about 2 and a half or a bit more. Whole lot is about 50 feet up, which is a lot for me!!

 

Photo is a bit crap but you will get the idea!!

 

john..